I'm only going to be in Portland for a few days for a wedding. A lot of my time will be taken up with the wedding and visiting with family, so I won't have a lot of free time. But, what is absolutely required, like you can not visit Portland and not see or visit or eat this? I don't want to get back home and be smacking myself on the head for missing out on something I really would have loved. I'm not sure yet where I will be staying.

_________________"That is some very responsible yolo-ing." - allularpunk"We are simple people, my husband is a mechanic with dirty hands, my daughter is a blue haired lesbian who's favorite activity is making people uncomfortable." - torque

I would look through some old threads and see what is recommended and then choose based on what you like. If you ask 5 different people here you'll get a list of 20 different places that you have to go to no matter what. If there's something particular you're into people might be able to give suggestions for that. Kittee's been doing a Vietnamese roundup on her blog for example and knows the bun chay.

I would recommend visiting the vegan mini mall because that way you can check out four awesome things at Portland relatively quickly- Sweetpea, Food Fight, Herbivore, and Scapegoat. Go to VooDoo and get donuts. Go to Powell's if you're nerdy about books. Get a fancy meal at Portobella.

Yes, pandacookie, I am working my way through reading all the pertinent looking posts in this sub forum. As far as what I like: I'm already interested in Powells, the arboretum, a Chinese garden and tea shop, and galleries. I like most cuisines, but to me just having one or two vegan options on a menu is huge, so I'm a little overwhelmed by the concept of multiple all vegan restaurants and bakeries and bars oh my! I wish I could have two stomachs for this trip!

_________________"That is some very responsible yolo-ing." - allularpunk"We are simple people, my husband is a mechanic with dirty hands, my daughter is a blue haired lesbian who's favorite activity is making people uncomfortable." - torque

Ok, everyone is waffling about stuff, there is a lot of vegan stuff in Portland and there are a lot of threads about it already, but here is what I think you should do if you don't have that much time. And I've lived here for a long time so this is DEFINITIVE.

Southeast:Vegan mini mall, then walk south to Portobello for dinner

Northeast:Go go Back to Eden or Dovetail for baked goods (or both!) and then Bye and Bye for lunch or dinner and drinks

Unless there is something that you would really like a vegan version of that you can't get where you live...like if ordering a vegan pizza would be a crazy novelty for you, go to Sizzle Pie, or if the idea of being able to get soyrizo tacos blows your mind, go to El Nutri.

_________________"No one with hair so soft and glossy could ever be bad at anything." - Tofulish

Yes, pandacookie, I am working my way through reading all the pertinent looking posts in this sub forum. As far as what I like: I'm already interested in Powells, the arboretum, a Chinese garden and tea shop, and galleries. I like most cuisines, but to me just having one or two vegan options on a menu is huge, so I'm a little overwhelmed by the concept of multiple all vegan restaurants and bakeries and bars oh my! I wish I could have two stomachs for this trip!

The Lan Su Chinese garden and teahouse downtown is nice. It's not far from Powells so you could do both of those in an afternoon. Depending on when you are here there will be a Greek sculpture exhibit at the art museum with many loans from the British Museum. I think it opens October 1 or 5th. I haven't discovered a lot of galleries but that probably depends on what you're looking for. There's also a Kara Walker show at a college gallery but I am not sure of the dates. Ground Kontrol is fun for old arcade games and has vegan snacky food options.

I would skip Portobello and get a waffle at Flavour Spot instead. Scones from Dovetail. I also like Papa Gs and the sandwiches at Sweetpea. Dovetail and Sweetpea do weekend biscuit breakfasts (Sweetpea does it every day) which might be a fun thing to do if you don't have a lot of breakfast options where you live. Lots of places here do weekend brunch with vegan options like Junior's and Jam on Hawthorne. Hungry Tiger Too has vegan corn dogs if you want greasy fun food. Sip cart does juices and such if you're into those. Los Gorditos or El Nutri are Mexican food carts. Potato Champion does vegan poutine.

Food Fight has a good list of places in their PDX Guide online that would give a good overview of places and what they serve. It's broken down by all vegan, all veg, and good veg options.

I love going to Portland you are going to have the best time! For me, I'd say don't miss Voodoo Doughnuts no matter what. They are open 24 hours so it's pretty easy to squeeze in. It's the one place I never miss. I also love the Flavor Spot. Where else can you get vegan sausages and maple cream folded into a waffle. The Homegrown Smoker is unique as well. Smoked soy curls and vegan mac and cheese stuffed together in a wrap? Vegan Hushpuppies? It's fun to just wander around Hawthorne, Alberta, or Mississippi too and just go into to shops and sample things. If you are there on first Thursday there are tons of galleries open downtown with art exhibits which is also fun. And drink lots of coffee. Everywhere.

That poor girl will be so confused as what to do and where to go, so here are my two cents. Def Bye and Bye for food and drinks. Vegan mini mall. Dinner at Portobello. For shopping I like Mississippi and you can grab a Native Bowl or Homegrown Smoker meal while you're at it.

1. SE PDX: go to the vegan mini-mall, then walk up to Belmont and have vegan cupcakes at Saint Cupcake and a drink and food at the Sweet Hereafter.2. Alberta/Mississippi: go to Alberta in NE. hit vita for breakfast, walk down to Back to Eden to stock up on soft serve and baked goods, enjoy the shops along the way. then head over to Mississippi for Native Bowl and/or Homegrown Smoker and more cute window shopping3. downtown/Pearl: Powell's, the photobooth in the Ace Hotel, and then gallery hop in the Pearl. eat at Prasad or the new Los Gorditos Pearl location (across the street from Prasad). if you're tired/need a break, watch a film at the Living Room Theaters

Pandacookie mentioned the Kara Walker exhibit, which is *great*. It's at Reed College, which is a bit out of the way. But it's a good exhibition. And she's giving a public talk on October 2 at 7pm at Reed.

If I could only do four things, I'd do 1. Powells, 2. vegan mini mall, 3. Back to Eden, 4. Homegrown Smoker

I have fond memories of going to sweatpeas for "late" breakfast, (cake/pie and coffee), visiting herbivore and foodfight...going to red&black cafe just around the corner for lunch and then into town to explore other options.

http://www.redandblackcafe.com/ (I felt I was looked at or frowned upon for being a too normal/average looking person, but that was several years ago and I don't mind if they look at me when I'm coming at a place for food and to support them.)

I've also been to blossoming lotus. I think the location I've been has been closed since then, their food is pretty good.

Thank you everyone for all the great ideas so far! I'm finding it especially helpful when suggestions are grouped together by things that are sort of close to each other. I wish I was going to be there 3 times as long as I am.

_________________"That is some very responsible yolo-ing." - allularpunk"We are simple people, my husband is a mechanic with dirty hands, my daughter is a blue haired lesbian who's favorite activity is making people uncomfortable." - torque

_________________"That is some very responsible yolo-ing." - allularpunk"We are simple people, my husband is a mechanic with dirty hands, my daughter is a blue haired lesbian who's favorite activity is making people uncomfortable." - torque